Raising Creative: Artistry and Appreciation Early On

Admittedly, there is definitely a difference between kids on the creative front. Some people really...aren't. I'm not saying this as a judgement, it's just that some people are not bent that way. They don't like to recombine pieces into something new. They don't innovate. They don't imagine. They don't like doing things...differently. And this isn't a bad thing. The world needs people like this. It does. It wouldn't run without them. These maintainers are necessary.

And then there's us - those creative people who cannot avoid innovation, or imagination, or problem-solving. It is part of what makes us tick. It is as necessary as breathing.

Now, I would argue that our preferences are somewhat established at birth, maybe in our very souls, but that doesn't mean parents can't nurture things. Even in the maintainer types, an appreciation for beauty and artistry can be fostered.

As a parent, I want to do that with Kiddo. I want to nurture an appreciation for art and creation in all its forms. It seems he has this inherently anyway, as he responds strongly to music, dance, and visual art. But, how do I consciously make an effort to foster this?

1. Music - I expose Kiddo to a wide variety of music because he LOVES it. LOVES it. He plays instruments with his granddad (ukulele, drums, guitar, harp etc). I play Bossa Nova, Celtic, rock, bluegrass, folk, indie, dance, and orchestral. We sing together, and frequently Kiddo wakes up singing. And I love every second of this.
2. Art - Kiddo gets to see all kinds of illustrations in his books, but also we draw almost every day. At first this was a project initiated by me, but now he requests to draw. He loves using his markers and crayons. I hope to add clay and finger paint to his repertoire as soon as I can acquire an oil cloth to cover the table or patio. He spends a lot of time and thought on his creations, and often will talk about them in Kiddo gibberish for several minutes after they are finished.
3. Writing/stories - Kiddo is a talker. He tells stories about his toys. He tells stories about his drawings. And of course, he LOVES books. We have story time at least three times a day, and each involves several long picture books. After we finish reading, he likes to go back through the book and point to pictures and discuss them, in Kiddo gibberish. As a writer, I am thrilled with this.
4. Dance - we have dance parties daily. Some of this is coupled with our music exposure (Bossa Nova or singing). Other times it is during his limited screen time with Sesame Street. He dances for almost all the songs, of which there are many. He also enjoys imitating dance moves of those around him, which Christian and I frequently bust out, just for fun.
5. Acting - I think Kiddo has a healthy dose of the performance bug. I say this because he really enjoys children's time at church. He gets in the front of the congregation, and rather than listening to granddad, he looks around the congregation (staring at him) and grins, often interacting with church members. It is a little trying, making sure he doesn't completely derail granddad, but clearly this is something he should be allowed to explore as he continues to mature.

Based on how Kiddo relishes these areas, it seems his continued exposure to the arts is not only beneficial for developing speech, fine and gross motor skills, but also is a source of joy. I think we have a little artist on our hands, and certainly an art lover. I see plenty of museum visits and classes in our future. Seeing as I'm a creative myself, I couldn't be happier with this.

Super Toddler Verbal Explosion!

Reading the headlines

I knew it was going to happen, I just never expected it to be quite so much so quickly.

Kiddo is talking. I don't mean, one word here or there, but full three word, complete sentences.

Apparently it's inherited. My mother informed me that by the time I was 18 months old, I was communicating clearly with polysyllabic words as well as complete sentences.

Let me remind everyone, if you forgot, complete sentences need at least a subject and a verb (i.e. I go). If you want to get a little fancy, you can add an object (i.e. I go there).

Kiddo's sayings at this point are:

• Apple
• Nana (banana)
• I go
• I get
• I get it
• I get her
• I do 
• I do it
• I like it
• Again
• Up
• No
• This
• Hi
• Hello
• Kitty cat
• Java
• Dog
• Duckie
• Pop
• Mommy
• Dada
• Granda
• Granma
• I love

These are things he consistently says. Although, I have heard him say "1,2,3" and "E,F,G" among other random words.

Just to make things really cool, he also carries melodies, matching pitch perfectly. These include the tune for "ABCs" as well as Brahms' "Lullaby." When he hears a song for the first time, he can often mimic certain musical phrases and frequently sings along.

Oh, and he tries to read. Like really. He spends hours looking at books, pieces of mail, and the newspaper. If you saw the picture I sent around recently, you saw him holding a paper like an adult. He does that regularly. He understands there is something on the page that indicates words, he just doesn't know quite what that entails.

The process is miraculous and wonderful. It truly is a joy to watch. I am so grateful my biggest problem is watching my words. It's a nice problem to have.